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Snowboards

Slash Vertical 2021-2022 Snowboard Review

  • Price: £500 / €499 / $499
  • Category: All-Mountain / Freeride + Powder
  • Sizes: 157, 161, 167
  • Flex: 5/10
  • Shape: Directional
  • Profile: Camber
  • 3D: Yes
  • Base: Sintered

Gigi hasn’t exactly conformed to many of the latest trends in snowboarding with his rider owned brand, Slash Snowboards. Case in point: there’s not a single volume shifted model in the 21/22 lineup. If anything, he’s gone the other way. Take the Slash Vertical, for example. Available in both solid and split versions, sizes start at 157 and go up to a 167.

“If you’re the kind of rider who’s quite happy to ditch the park in exchange for a quick boot pack to a couloir or a wide-open deserted piste, this one’s got a lot of appeal”

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Who Is The Slash Vertical For?

Where the Vertical does conform to new trends, however, is in its purpose. It’s equally at home on groomers as it is in waist-deep powder. If you’re the kind of rider who’s quite happy to ditch the park in exchange for a quick boot pack to a couloir or a wide-open deserted piste, this one’s got a lot of appeal.

Shape, Profile and Sidecut

While a fully positive camber profile won’t exactly scream “powder quicker”, it will certainly prick up the ears of anyone who knows a thing or two about carving, and the Vertical is indeed a pretty stellar choice for riders who really like to attack the mountain with a bit of precision and intensity.

But you only need to take a glance at the outline to see that it’ll be more than capable of blasting powder fields the morning after mother nature has laid down a few inches of freshies. Not only is the outline clearly directional with some extra inserts positioned towards the tail of the board to really capitalise in deep conditions, there’s another trick lurking up the Vertical’s sleeve (or should that be “hiding under the Vertical’s nose).

Starting from where the contact points would be positioned in the nose, the base starts to bevel out to create a 3-dimensional, spoon-like profile at the front of the board. The benefits here are twofold: Firstly, it deflects snow out from underneath it, allowing you to keep the front of the board planing over fresh snow; secondly, it offers up the double benefit of utilising that full length camber profile, without any of the twitchiness at the start of your turns. The end result is a board that performs equally well on the pistes and in the powder.

“It’s not an overly demanding board to ride as the flex rating sits right down the middle at a five out of ten. Having said that, the response is dialed up exactly where you need it the most”

Construction and Materials

It’s not an overly demanding board to ride as the flex rating sits right down the middle at a five out of ten. Having said that, the response is dialed up exactly where you need it the most. Slash’s Buried Treasure strategically places carbon, basalt and Kevlar stringers in the core to generate the optimum amount of power and stability to the Vertical, creating a little more stiffness in the nose and tail, while keeping the flex more forgiving between the feet.

So, whether you’re getting your elbows down on a full blown euro-carve or sticking your landings out in the backcountry the Vertical is fine tuned for performance riding at either end. That’s all rounded off with a sintered base to keep you gliding fast in all snow conditions.

“Only in its second year, the Vertical seems to have made a big impact in a short space of time”

Roundup

Only in its second year, the Vertical seems to have made a big impact in a short space of time. It’s rare to see newcomers get the splitboard treatment so early in their life, but that’s a testament to the Vertical’s versatility in a whole bunch of conditions. If you’re looking to capitalise on fresh tracks this season and still have a board to rip through to last lifts, this one’s well worth your attention.

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